Apparatus for taking oriented cores in earth formations



Jan. 2, 1951 1.. c. MILLER APPARATUS FOR TAKING ORIENTED CORES IN EARTH FORMATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31, 1946 INVENTOR.

.H T TOENEV- LER 2,536,303 ING ORIENTED FORMATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. M APPARATUS CORES IN EARTH Jan. 2, 1 951 Filed Aug. :51, 1946 ///l h F TTORNEy,

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 APPARATUS FOR TAKING ORIENTED CORES IN EARTH FORMATIONS Lloyd G. Miller, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Signal Oil and Gas Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1946, Serial No. 694,396

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for obtaining oriented cores in the earth either in exposed formations at the surface of the earth or in submarine formations or in bore holes, and is particularly adapted for the taking of punch cores. However, the principle and device herein disclosed are also applicable to the taking of rotary cores in deep bores.

This invention relates generally to devices for taking cores so that they may be oriented, which methods and devices provide upon the core taker a mark or stylus which marks the core as it is taken and also records the vertical inclination of the axis of the core and at the same time records the azimuthal direction of the marker and therefore the mark formed on the core; Thus, when the core is recovered the mark on the core may be oriented azimuthally and also the axis of the core may be oriented vertically, thus setting the core into the position in which it was taken in the earth. The strata in' the core are therefore oriented and the angle of the dip of the plane of the strata and the direction of the dip and strike of the strata may be determined.

It is an object of my invention to design an improved device employin such procedures.

It is a further object of my invention to devise simple and accurate apparatus for the taking of punch cores either in the earth formations or in submarine formations so that such cores may be simply taken and accurately oriented.

In my device a punch core bit is driven into the earth with sufficient force to drive a core into the core receivin chamber of the core bit. A marker or stylus'u'pon the core taker makes a mark upon the core as it is taken. An orienting device is then slid over the core taker and axially aligned therewith. The'orienting device records the vertical inclination of the axis of the core taker and also the deviation from north of the marker and therefore of the mark upon the core.

This invention will befurther described in relation to the drawings, in which i Fig. 8 is an illustration of the orienting picture taken by the orienting device shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The core cutter shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is composed of a rod l of considerable weight carrying a central bore d and cross bores 5.

A core receiving tube 6 is screwed into the rod l to form a continuation of the bore 4. Tube 6 carries a core cutter head "i which in turn carries a marking stylus formed of a pointed screw 8. Mounted upon the body of the rod l is an oval-shaped boss in the form of a screw head l0 'so aligned that the axis of the oval is in line with the point of the screw thread 8 and said line is parallel to the axis of the core receiving tube 6. The upper end of the rodl carries a rope socket 2 into which is fitted rope 3;. The

orienting device shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is an overshot formed of a tubular section i2 of such diameter as to make a snug but easy sliding fit with the exterior of the rod I. The tube carries a pointed or beveled end l3 formed with a curved section It and a slot it having a width only slightly more than the width of the minor axis of the oval headed screw ill, allowing for the passage of the screw it in the slot i5, but snug enough to hold the slot in proper position as is explained below.

'lhe tuoular section I? carries gates 16 pivoted at H and latched at Hi. the tube E? are two cylindrical chambers l8 mounted so that them axes are parallel to the axis oi the tube i2 and parallel to the center line of the slot 155. The chambers is are covered by covers it. The chambers i9 are of identical construction and equal weight. One of the chambers i9 receives an orienting device such as commonly employed in oil well orienting practice, known generally in the art as single shots. Such devices are essentially a means for deterrn.ning the vertical and azimuthal variations of the axis of the bore and may generally be described as composed of a camera which takes a picture of a pendulum or inclinoineter and or the azimuthal orientation of the plane of maximum inclination. The pendulum is in association with the compass card and enclosed in a chamber with a window. Upon taking any position the pendulum moves in the direction of plane of maximum inclination and when photographed through the window in relation to a compass chart the azimuthal deviation of the axis of the bore and its vertical inclination are determined.

At the upper end of is held in place.

Such a device is placed in one of the chambers l9 and the other chamber is weighted with a weight equal to the weight of the single shot so that the total weight of the chamber plus the single shot in one of the chambers is equal to the total weight of the other chamber plus the added Weight in such other chamber. This produces an equally balanced structure.

To take an oriented core the rod l suspended on line 3 is allowed to descend in free-fall into the earth, thus driving itself into the earth. Instead of taking the core by free-fall, the coring device may be lowered on rods or pipe and driven into the formation by jars, such as cable tool jars. It may be lowered through pipe set in the formation or ii the core is taken in submarine bottoms, a tube may be lowered from a boat, and if desired the sand and "ooze swept away by means of a jetand the core taker driven into the formation through the tube.

The device may also be used in a similar mannerin taking punch cores in bores made in dry land. In such case the device is lowered into the bore. It may be driven into the earth by gravity or by means of jars or by the weight of rods or tubing on which it is lowered.

The earth core enters through the core cutter 1 into thecore receiving tube 6 and at the same time as it is driven up to the core receiving tube 6 the pointed screw 8 makes a mark which is parallel to the axis of the tube 6. Since the line connecting the core marking stylus 8 and the major-axis of the oval screw It is parallel to the --=axis of the tube 6, the mark is therefore parallel to thislineand to the axis of the tube 6 and rod I.

The single shot is introduced into one of the chambers I9 and a line mark placed upon the window,,,which mark constitutes a radius line of the chamber I9 parallel to the radius of tubular section [12 passing through the center line of l5. Such a markis indicated as 22 on Fig. 8 which shows a compass card 23. The gates l6 are opened, the rope or rods, as the case may be are passed through slot l; the gates l6 are closed, 'and the latch lB'set,-and the string 2! is tied in position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the rope The orienting device is then allowed to slide down the rope or rods and over rod I, which thus telescopes inside the tube l2. The-beveled portion I3 permits the orienting device to rotate as it passes over oval head it and this-oval head cuts the string 2| and enters into the slot :5, and the orienting device comes to rest with the point of the oval head underneath the lower gate Hi, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

, Instead of the oval boss being in line with the marker 8, as described above, it may be at any angular displacement therefrom so long as the shot'takes a picture of the compass card. Such a picture is shown in Fig. 8. The whole device is retrieved by pulling up on the rope 3.

To remove the core, the core head 1 is unscrewed from the tube 6. The tube 5 is unscrewed from the rod I and the core removed.

Upon development of the picture taken by the "single shot the relationship of the slot 15 and therefore the mark upon the core to north and the vertical inclination of the slot l5 and there- Ill -S., and the slot and mark were azimuthally oriented N. 45 W.

In this fashion the core may be oriented by placing the axis of the core at the vertical inclination of 4 directing the axis E. 10 8., as

shown by the single shot and rotating th axis of the core so that the mark worn by the stylus 8 has the azimuthal position shown by the single shot, i. e., NJ45 W. The plane of the strata may then be determined by measuring the dip and the strike in the strata injthe core thus oriented.

While I have described a .particular embodi- 'ment of my invention forthe purpose of illustration, it should be understood that various'modifications and adaptations thereof 'may be "made within the spirit of the invention as set forth'in the appended-claims.

-I claim: v

1. A coring device for taking oriented earth cores, comprising a core cutter head, acore-receiving tube, a marking means in said coring device for marking the core, an orienting 'device comprising a tube having an internal diameter greater than the externaldiameter of said core receiving tube adapted to slide over the coring receiving tube, means ;for axially aligning the orienting device parallel to the axis'of said core receiving tube, and means for determining the azimuthal relationship of said marking means and a position on saidorienting tube. V

2. A coring device, means for attaching said coring device to a line forlowering the core cutter to core cutting position, a cutterhead, a cor-ereceiving tube, a marking styluson the core cutter head, a guide on said core cutter, said guide being axially aligned with the axis of said core'receiving tube, an orienting tube, an orienting device mounted-on said tuba-saidtube being guide in-said slot to axiall-yalign said tube with said core receiving tube.

3.A coring device, meansior attaching said coring device to a lowering line, a corecutt er head, a core receiving tube associated with said cutter head,-a-core-marker on said-coring device, an oval boss on-said core cutter-sopositionedon the core cutterthat the axi OfLSQ/id oval boss and the marker areon a-line-parallel to the axis of said core receiving -tube, a-telescoping tubular overshot of internal diameter sufficient to permit the telescoping of the coring device inside the tubular overshotpa chamber'positioned on-said overshot toreceive an orienting device a slot in said tubular overshot parallel to the axis of said tubular overshot and of a-width'sufiicient topermit the entry of the oval guideandtoorient said tube with said core receiving tube. v A V 4. A coring device, meansdfor attaching-said coring device to a lowering line,- a corefcutter head, a core receivingtube-associated with said cutter head, a core marker on-saidcoring device, an oval boss on said coring device sopositioned on the-core cutter that the axis or said ovarboss and the markerare on a line parallel tg the axis of said core receiving chamber, a telescoping tubular overshot of internal diameter sufiicient to permit the telescoping of the coring device inside said tubular overshot, a chamber positioned in said overshot to receive an orienting device, a slot in said tubular overshot parallel to the axis of said tubular overshot and of a width suflicient to permit the entry of the oval bos and to orient said tubular overshot coaxially with said core receiving tube, said tube being beveled and curved at its end so as to slide over said boss to rotate said tube and permit the entry of said boss into said slot.

5. A coring device comprising a core cutter head, a core receiving tube, a core marking means on said cutter head, means for lowering said core receiving tube and core cutter head to coring position, an overshot having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said core receiving tube and said lowering means, said overshot being slidable over said lowering means and over said core receiving tube, an orienting device mounted on said overshot, and means engaging both overshot and tube to axially align said core cutter head and said tubular overshot and to orient said marking means.

6. A coring device comprising a core cutter head, a core receiving tube, a core marking means on said cutter head, a guide on said core receiving tube, means for lowering said core receiving tube and core cutter head to core cutting position, a tubular overshot adapted to slide over said lowering means and having an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said core receiving tube and adapted to slide over said core receiving tube, a chamber mounted on said overshot to one side of the axis of said overshot, the axis of said chamber being parallel to the axis of said tubular overshot, said chamber being adapted to receive an orienting device.

'7. A coring device comprising a core cutter head, a core receiving tube, a core marking means on said cutter head, a guide on said core receiving tube, means for lowering said core receiving tube and core cutter head to core cutting position, a tubular overshot adapted to slide over said lowering means and having an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said core receiving tube and adapted to slide over said core receiving tube, a chamber mounted on said overshot to one side of the axis of said overshot, the axis of said chamber being parallel to the axis of said tubular overshot, said chamber being adapted to receive an orienting device, and a balancing chamber mounted on the opposite side of said axis.

8. A coring device, means for attaching said coring device to a lowering line, a core cutter head, a core receiving tube associated with said cutter head, a core marker on said coring device,

a boss on said coring device so positioned on the core cutter head that a line connecting said boss and the marker is parallel to the axis of said core receiving chamber, a telescoping tubular overshot of an internal diameter suflicient to permit the telescoping of the coring device inside said tubular overshot, a chamber positioned on said overshot to one side of the axis of said overshot, a balancing chamber positioned on the other side of said axis, said first mentioned chamber adapted to receive an orienting device and said balancing chamber adapted to receive a balancing Weight, and a slot in said tubular overshot parallel to the axis of said tubular overshot and of a width suflicient to permit the entry of said boss and to orient the tubular overshot coaxially with said core receiving tube, said tube being beveled and curved at its end so as to slide over said boss to rotate said tube and permit the entry of said boss into said slot.

9. A coring device, means for attaching said coring device to a lowering line, a core cutter head, a core receiving tube associated with said cutter head, a core marker on said coring device, a boss on said coring device so positioned on the core cutter head that a line connecting said boss and the marker is parallel to the axis of said core receiving chamber, a telescoping tubular overshot of an internal diameter suflicient to permit the telescoping of the coring device inside said tubular overshot, a chamber positioned on said overshot to one side of the axis of said overshot, a balancing chamber positioned on the other side of said axis, said first mentioned chamber adapted to receive an orienting device and said balancing chamber adapted to receive a balancing weight, and a slot in said tubular overshot parallel to the axis of said tubular overshot and of a width sufficient to permit the entry of the boss and to orient the tubular overshot coaxially with said core receiving tube, said slot extending throughout the length of said overshot and being sufficiently wide to pass over said lowering line, and a gate positioned on said overshot over said slot, said tube being beveled and curved at its end so as to slide over said boss to rotate said tube and permit the entry of said boss into said slot.

LLOYD C. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,319,325 Dodds Oct. 21, 19 9 2,197,062 Sweet et a1 Apr. 16, 1940 

